Joseph Metcalf III, 1946
Outstanding military and civilian career.
Joseph Metcalf III rose through the ranks of the US Navy to become a leader in America’s armed forces. For his outstanding military and civilian career, Vermont Academy honors Joseph Metcalf III, a 1946 graduate, with the Florence Sabin Distinguished Alumni Award.
After Vermont Academy, Metcalf joined the US Navy and entered the US Naval Academy, graduating in 1951. He also completed a two-year course in operations analysis at the US Naval Post-Graduate School, and earned the Bronze Star with Combat “V” and the Gold Star for serving on the ship that made one of the initial amphibious landings in Vietnam. Metcalf was program manager in the Research and Development Center, Bangkok, Thailand, where he was awarded the Legion of Merit, headed the Planning and Program branch of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and served as a Commander at Pearl Harbor. Selected as Rear Admiral in 1976, he also became director of the Navy’s general planning and programming division, and went to sea again as a Commander in 1979.
In 1983 Metcalf was promoted to Vice Admiral, and then advanced to Chief of Naval Operations for Surface Warfare, one of the highest ranks in the US Navy. After 41 years of dedicated service, Metcalf retired from the Navy but remained involved in both military and civilian pursuits.
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After Vermont Academy, Metcalf joined the US Navy and entered the US Naval Academy, graduating in 1951. He also completed a two-year course in operations analysis at the US Naval Post-Graduate School, and earned the Bronze Star with Combat “V” and the Gold Star for serving on the ship that made one of the initial amphibious landings in Vietnam. Metcalf was program manager in the Research and Development Center, Bangkok, Thailand, where he was awarded the Legion of Merit, headed the Planning and Program branch of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and served as a Commander at Pearl Harbor. Selected as Rear Admiral in 1976, he also became director of the Navy’s general planning and programming division, and went to sea again as a Commander in 1979.
In 1983 Metcalf was promoted to Vice Admiral, and then advanced to Chief of Naval Operations for Surface Warfare, one of the highest ranks in the US Navy. After 41 years of dedicated service, Metcalf retired from the Navy but remained involved in both military and civilian pursuits.
Vermont Academy is a coed college preparatory boarding and day school in southern Vermont, serving grades 9-12 plus a postgraduate year.
